Nematode-resistant gene

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a nucleic acid and, thus, the transcribed polypeptide, that induces resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants of the Solanaceae, Chenopodiaceae and/or Brassicaceae families. The nucleic acid comprises a translated region that is at least 60% homologous to the sequence of the HS1 pro-1  gene from  Beta procumbens.  Methods of making and using a nucleic sequence of the invention are described, implementing recombinant DNA technology. For instance, vectors and plants can be engineered to contain a nucleic acid according to the invention. Furthermore, test kits containing the nucleic acid and/or a vector are provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a nucleic acid, which induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants, preferably of the Solanaceae and/or Chenopodiaceae and/or the Brassicaceae families, especially preferably of the genus Beta and/or Brassica and/or Solanum.

The present invention additionally concerns the DNA sequence of a cDNA clone and a genomic clone of this nucleic acid. Further, the present invention concerns a vector, which can for example be a yeast artificial chromosome “YAC”, which contains the nucleic acid for a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants. Finally, the present invention concerns the use of the nucleic acid or of the vector for the induction of a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants, and also a transgenic plant, which contains the nucleic acid or the vector.

Further, the invention concerns the protein encoded by the nucleic acid, a test kit containing the nucleic acid and/or the vector and a process for producing a transgenic plant and also a process for producing a nematode resistance in plants.

Finally, the invention concerns the promoter of the resistance gene.

2. Description of Related Art

It is well known that plants are attacked by various pathogens and types of parasite. It is also well known that crop plants are mostly more susceptible to parasitic attack than their wild relatives. Often encountered are plant parasites from the nematode family, with a fluid-filled pseudocyloma sheath surrounded by a musculocutaneous sac. Nematodes are important parasites, which in the harvests throughout the world cause losses of ca 150 million DM per year. Particularly damaging are nematodes of the genera Meloidogyne, Heterodera and Globodera, which establish themselves permanently in the roots of the affected plants, after they have induced certain feeding structures. The nematode Heterodera schachtii has a broad host spectrum, which includes many species of various plant families, e.g. the Chenopodiaceae and Brassicaceae.

The life cycle of nematodes is subdivided into four larval stages (J1-J4). The roots are infected by J2 juvenile stages, which migrate to the central cylinder, where they induce the development of syncytia. These extensive feeding structures result from a partial cell-wall degradation between the cells of the xylem parenchyma. The nematode ends its life-cycle to the adult stage after three periods. The female nematodes swell up and finally destroy the root cortex, while they are still feeding from the syncytia. The male stages no longer feed after the end of the third stage, and when they are adult they move towards the female stages, by which they are attracted by sex pheromones. The mature female stages are filled with eggs. After their death, they form a cyst, in which the infectious larvae (J2) can survive in the soil for up to 10 years.

It is presumed that nematode resistance genes trigger an incompatibility reaction between the host and the parasites, which has already been described at the cellular level. The roots of plants which carry this or these gene(s) are admittedly attacked by J2 juvenile stages, but most of the nematodes die in the late J2 stage because of degradation of the initiated syncytium. In rare cases, female stages can develop, however they display a transparent appearance and cease growing. As a result, the nematodes are not able to complete their life cycle.

Since for environmental political reasons the use of nematicides is only possible to a limited extent, it is particularly desirable also to implement this resistance gene in crop plants.

In particular, root crops of the genus Beta (e.g. sugar-beet, fodder roots, mangold, beetroot) are highly susceptible to the root cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii. Efforts have already long been made to create resistance against Heterodera schachtii and other phytopathogenic nematodes (e.g. Globodera) in plants, in particular crop plants, since resistance genes corresponding to these are lacking. The only sources of resistance are the wild species Beta procumbens and its close relatives B. webbiana and B. natellaris.

Genes for resistance against various nematode species are used in breeding in different useful plant species (e.g. potato, tomato, wheat, oil radish). A resistance gene from the wild species Beta procumbens has also been transferred into the sugar-beet by cross-breeding. From this, resistant sugar-beets could be selected; however, they had the disadvantage that they were characterised by inadequate quality and productivity properties. The resistant sugar-beet lines which derived from the cross-breeding with Beta procumbens have translocations of varying size from the wild beets of the Procumbentes section. Their low productivity and decreased quality are presumably due to the fact that as well as the resistance gene other productivity-decreasing genes from the wild species are present in these sugar-beet lines. Also, the transmission of the resistance property to subsequent generations is incomplete. These disadvantages cannot be eliminated purely by breeding methods, since breeding by crossing is unlikely to be able to select specific properties, without other, sometimes disadvantageous, properties also being transferred at the same time.

Further, many attempts have been made to induce artificial nematode resistance in plants by a combination of “suicide genes” with syncytia-specific promoters. So far, however, it has not been possible to breed any resistant plants from this.

Moreover, it has not previously been possible to identify a naturally resistant gene at the molecular level and to use it for the creation of a resistance in crop plants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one objective of the present invention to provide a nucleic acid which imparts a resistance against nematodes to plants. It is a further object of the present invention to provide the DNA sequence on which this gene is based.

Also, it is a further object according to the present invention to enable the use of such a gene for the induction of a resistance against sedentary nematodes.

Apart from this, it is an object according to the present invention to provide a transgenic plant which contains a nucleic acid imparting such resistance, and cells, seeds or plant parts which contain this nucleic acid.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide vectors in which the gene for imparting resistance against nematodes can be effectively incorporated into plants and is contained therein.

It is a further object according to the present invention to provide the protein encoded by the nucleic acid and a test kit which contains the nucleic acid.

Finally, it is an object according to the present invention to provide a process for the production of a transgenic plant and a process for producing a resistance against nematodes.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide the promoter which controls the expression of the aforesaid resistance gene.

These and other objectives are achieved by the subject matter of the invention contained in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a Northern analysis of total RNA from leaves and roots. The total RNA was isolated from leaves and roots of six-week old plants, which were either (1) infected or (2) not infected. The full-length cDNA 1832 was used as probe. 20 μg total RNA were separated in 1.3% agrose and transferred to nylon membranes. The filter was hybridised overnight at 60° C. with the radioactively labelled probe and then washed for 2×30 min at 60° C. in 0.2×SSC.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.

FIG. 3 shows schematically the encoding capacities of clones 1832.1, 1832 and 1832A1.

FIG. 4 shows the elements contained in pAM194

FIGS. 5a-d show the restriction site map of constructs pLD10, pPS48, LD10/1832-13, and pPS48/BamHI-15, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a nucleic acid is provided which induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants, preferably of the Solanaceae and/or Chenopodiaceae and/or Brassicaceae families, especially preferably of the genus Beta and/or Brassica and/or Solanum. The provision of such a gene makes it possible to breed crop plants which display a resistance against sedentary nematodes. Such resistant crop plants are of course far superior to their non-resistant relatives, since they cannot be attacked by nematodes and hence are less susceptible to disease. Through the provision of the nucleic acid which carries the resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants, it is further possible to obtain resistant plants which nonetheless display quality and productivity equal to that of other, non-resistant crop plants. This is attributable to the fact that a single nucleic acid, namely the nucleic acid for the resistance against sedentary nematodes, is transferred into the plants, whereas with conventional breeding procedures in addition to the desired genes other DNA sequences, which may code for undesired properties, are also transferred.

Especially preferably, the nucleic acid which induces the resistance against sedentary nematodes includes a translated region which is at least 60% homologous with the Hs1^(pro-1) gene from Beta procumbens. Among these, inter alia, are the homologous genes from Beta webbiana and Beta patellaris. The HS1^(pro-1) gene from Beta procumbens carries a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants. A 60% homology with the DNA sequence cited above is already sufficient to induce the desired property of resistance against sedentary nematodes in a plant that carries this nucleic acid. Genes according to the invention are also obtainable by screening gene libraries with the sequence 1832, for which the hybridisation conditions can be chosen as follows:

Hybridisation temperature 50° C., preferably 60° C., and washing of the filters in 0.5×SSC, preferably in 0.2×SSC for 30 minutes for example.

Especially preferred is the nucleic acid which induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants, which includes the following DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2):

ATGAGAAGGT GTGGGTATAG TTTGGGCCTT GGTGAGCCCA ATTTGGACGG AAAGCCCAAT TTAGATTACG ACGCCGTTTG TCGTCCTTCT GAGCTTCACG CGCTTAAAAA GGGCGCGTTG GATTATATTC AGAATTCGGA AAATCAGATA TTGTTTACAA TTCATCATGA TTTTCGAGTC GTGGATTTTT TCCTCGAAAA ATTGTTGGAT CGAATAAGTG AGAGGATCAG TAAAGAAGAG TTTACCAAAG CAGCAGATGA TTGTTGGATA CTGGAGAAAA TATGGAAGTT ATTGGAGGAA ATCGAGAATT TACATTTATT AATGGATCCT GACGATTTCC TGCATCTGAA GACGCAACTG AGGATGAAAA CAGTGGCGGA TTCTGAAACT TTTTGTTTTC GATCAAAAGG ACTGATCGAG GTAACAAAAT TAAGCAAGGA TCTACGGCAC AAGGTGCCGA AGATCCTTGG TGTAGAGGTG GACCCTATGG GAGGACCGGT GATACAAGAG TCGGCAATGG AGTTGTACCG AGAAAAAAGA AGATACGAGA AGATACATCT GTTACAAGCG TTTCAAGGGG TGGAATCCGC TGTTAAAGGG TTTTTCTTTA ATTATAAACA GTTGTTGGTG ATCATCATGG GTAGTTTGGA AGCGAAAGCG AATTTTGCTC TGATTGGTGG TTCTACTGAG TCTTCGGATT TGTTGGCTCA GTTGTTTTTA GAACCTACTT ATTATCCGAG TTTGGATGGT GCCAAGACTT TTATTGGTGA TTGTTGGGAG CATGATCAGG CTGTTGGTAG CGGCCTCGAT TGTCGTCATC ATCGGAAGAA TCGGACTGCG AAACAATGA

This sequence will be referred to below as No. 1832.

Also covered by the present invention are nucleic acids which encode a protein which imparts the same nematode resistance as the gene product encoded by the above nucleic acid No. 1832, where preferably all these gene products include the same amino acid sequence.

Preferably, the nucleic acid is a cDNA.

In a further embodiment, the nucleic acid which induces the resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants is a genomic DNA, which includes the following DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1):

TCTAGAGCTG TCGACGCGGC CGCGGAATTA ACCCTCACTA AAGGGAACGA ATTCGGATCT TCTTTCTTGG TGCTTAATTT TTTGACACTA ATCCGATTCT TAGCATTAAG TTGAAGCACA CTCTTGATAA ACTATGTTAC TATGTATCAT TGTCAATATG CTAAGAATTT GTCTTGACCT CATCGCTATG TATAAGCATC TAATACTTTC CTAAACTAGT AAAAACAAAT ATTCCATCCG TCCCATAATA TGACTCCCCT TTCTATTTTA GGAGTCAAAA TTTTAAAATT TTTGACCAAA TATTCTTATT ACTATATATA AAAACATATT CATGTGGGAT CTTGTTAGAT TCGTCTTAAT ATGTATTTTC ATAATATCAA CTTTTTATAT TTTTTTACTA ATACGAAATT GAAGATATAC AATGTCTTAA AGACTATGCA AAACTAAGCA GAACCTATAT TTTGGGACGG AGGGAGTAAT AAGTAATATT GATTGACGCA TAATTTGTAT ATAAATATTT CAAATTGATA CTACTTTAAA TAATATAGTT AATGCTTATA AATAAGCCTA AAGACTGTGA ATAGCAAGAT CGTTAAAAAT AAAATTTGAA AATATTTGAT ATGGATAATG AAATTGGAAA TGGCATGCTT AGCTTCTCGG GAATCTTATA CCGCTACATC TATAATAAAA ATTCCTCATA AAATTTTGAA CATTTTAACA CACGAAATTC GTCCTTTTAC GCGAGCCCTT TCCACACGTA TTTAAAATTT AAAAACCTCG TCTTTACTCT CCCCACCTAT ATATATACAC GTCCCCCCTT CTCTACTTCC CATCTCACAT ACACATACCC AATCCACAAA CTTCCATCTT ATCCAACTTT CTCTCACCTA TCTCCTTCTT CAATTTTCAA AACTCAAAAG AAAATGGTAG ATTTCGATTG CAAAACAAAA ATGGTACAAT CAACACCAAA CCTCACAAAA AAATCTCCAA AAATCACAAC CAAACGCACA ATATCAACAC CATTAATTTC ACCAGTACCA GTAATTTCCG GCGAATTATC TCCGGCGTCG GAATCATCCT GTTCAGCTTA CGAATCGTAT CTCAAATTCA CGGAGCTCCG TCAACTATGG AGTTCAAAAG AATTCCCCGG TTGGGATAAC GAACCGATAA TCAAACCGGC TTTGCAAGCA TTAGAGATAA CATTCCGGTT CATCTCACTC GTTTTATCCG ACGCTAGACC GTACATAAAC CGGCGAGAAT GGAACCGGAA ATTAGAGTCG TTAGCGAGAG ATCAAGTCCG AAACTCATCT CAGTTCTCTG CGGAAGACGA TGAGACACGT GGATCAGCTC CGAATCGTTG ATCTGACGTC ATCGTATGGT GAGGTGATGT CACAAACAGA AGTTCAGCGG AGGTATGGAA GCTTGCGAAT GGAGAAGATG ATACTACCGT GGTCTGTCGT AGTAGCGAAT TTAGTCTCCT TCCGAGGTTA GCCACGTGGC AGAAGTCGGA GGAGATTGCT TCTAGAATCT TCTACGCGGT TGAATCTGCT ATGAGAAGGT GTGGGTATAG TTTGGGCCTT GGTGAGCCCA ATTTGGACGG AAAGCCCAAT TTAGATTACG ACGCCGTTTG TCGTCCTTCT GAGCTTCACG CGCTTAAAAA GGGCGCGTTG GATTATATTC AGAATTCGGA AAATCAGATA TTGTTTACAA TTCATCAGAT TTTCGAGTCG TGGATTTTTT CCTCGAAAAA ATTGTTGGAT CGAATAAGTG AGAGGATCAG TAAAGAAGAG TTTACCAAAG CAGCAGATGA TTGTTGGATA CTGGCGAAAA TATGGAAGTT ATTGGAGGAA ATCGAGAATT TACATTTATT AATGGATCCT GACGATTTCC TGCATCTGAA GACGCAACTG AGGATGAAAA CAGTGGCGGA TTCTGAAACT TTTTGTTTTC GATCAAAAGG ACTGATCGAG GTAACAAAAT TAAGCAAGGA TCTACGGCAC AAGGTGCCGA AGATCCTTGG TGTAGAGGTG GACCCTATGG GAGGACCGGT GATACAAGAG ATGGCAATGG AGTTGTACCG AGAAAAAAGA AGATACGAGA AGATACATCT GTTACAAGCG TTTCAAGGGG TGGAATCCGC TGTTAAAGGG TTTTTCTTTA ATTATAAACA GTTGTTGGTG ATCATGATGG GTAGTTTGGA AGCGAAAGCG AATTTTGCTG TGATTGGTGG TTCTACTGAG TCTTCGGCTT TGTTGGCTCA GTTGTTTTTA GAACCTACTT ATTATCCGAG TTTGGATGGT GCCAAGACTT TTATTGGTGA TTGTTGGGAG CATGATCAGG CTGTTGGTAG CGGCCTCGAT TGTCGTCATC ATCGGAAGAA TCGGACTGCG AAACAATGAT GGTTTCGAAG TTAGTTTTGG ATTGAGTTTG GTTTGATCTG ACTCGGCTGA GTAATGGGCG GCGATAGGGA GGTTATGGAG AACGTGGGGC GGAAAGTGGG TGGCCTTGTT AGTGAGACGT GCAAACTTTG GTTACTATTA CATGTGATAT ACTTATATTT AGTGGGAATA TTGCTTTGGT GTATATAGAT AAATTTTTGA ATTAATTGTT ACACTTGTAT TAGTAAATTC TGTATCATGA TGATTATAAC ATGAATTTTT TGTTGTGACT TTAAATGAGA TTTATGCTCC TTAATCCTTA TTTCACTGAT ATTATTTTTT TGTAGTCTGA GTATAAGTGC GGAGTTTAAT CAAGCAAGAG AAAATAATAG AAGGTGATTG CATACTTGGA TTGGAGATCA ATATCTAAAA GATGGTTATG AAACTATTGT GAATAACGGA GTACATGTCC AACACCACAC ACGTATGACT GTGTACCTCT AATTTACAAA GAGATTTACA AAATCTAGAT GAGTTTTGAT ATGATCGACA TTGTCTCTAA ATGGGAGATA AGAATTAAAT CGTCAGGCTC TTTGCGGCTA G?TCTTCCGA ATAAAATAAG AAACAATGGT TTACTCTAAT TCA?TTTTCC AATTGGCAAA GTGGCACAAG CTTCAATAA? T?GGCTCTTC ACAATTGAGT ATAAAAGAAT GGGTTAATTA C?CCGG?CTT TGAATAAAAT TAATCCTATT TAATTGTTTT TGAAATATTC TTAAAAATA? CGTTGTCTAA TACTTTCTTT AGTTGGGACC CGGTTCTGAA CC?ACTTAAA TTAATGGGCT CAATGGCCGC CTAATTTCCT CTTGTTATTT TTAGCCTTTT TTTTCCTTTT TTTCCCTTTA AAATAACTAT TTGTTCTCTT GAATATCTTA AAATACGTGT GTATC??CTT TAGTTGGACC GTCTGAACTA TTATTATGCT ATGCACTATT CCTTTGTATT TACCTTTTTC TTTTTCCTTT AAATACTATT GTTCTCATTT CAATTATATT CTATTTTTGT TAAAAAACGG TCTTAATTTT TACAACAGTA AAATTATTGA TTTTCCTTCT ATATTAAAAT TTGAAAGTGA ATGTATTTCG AAATTTAGGT ATATGAATAT TTATATTGTT CGATTAATGA TGATAAAAGG ATTTTACTCA TTAACCTAAA CCATTTCTAG ATAAGATAAG AGGAACTTCC ACCTAGTTAA CATGTCTCAC TTTCCTAGTA GACGAATCTC AATTGCGTTG CTGGATTTAG AACTTTGGTC AAGATAATGG CAAAACTTTC AAGCACCCGT AGATGCATTT TCC?CGACAT TTCTCATACA GCACTAAACG TTTCAACTTC CTCTTTTATT TTCTTGAAAT TTTTTGTGGC AATGAGAAAC GTTCGAAGTT GATCTTTGCG TTTCGACGAT TTGAAATAAG AAAATGCGTA TTGTCGGCAA CTGATTGTAG TAGTTGA?GT TATTATAATG ATAGTCTTTT ATATAGAATT CATTTAATTC TAATTCATTT GAATCCAGTT AAGTTGAGTT TAGTTTAGTC AGCCTAAAAG AACAAAGTAA GTCATGGAAT GGAATGAAGA TGTAATCAAA TAGAGGAGGG GCTGATAACA ATAATTATTA CTTATGTTGC GTGTTCAATT CAGTAATGAA AAAAATAAGG TTGAATTAGG AGGGTAATAC AATTATTACC GGTGATGTGA TAAAACTAAT GTTTAAGGGT TTAAGTTACT CTAAACCCTC AATTAAACAT AGTCTAACAA AAAATTCTCA TAATCTAAAT CAAACACGTA CTTATACAAT CCTCTACATG AATCCGTTTC TAACTCTAAA GGAAGATCGA TACTTATTAG AATCCGTTTC CAACCCTAAA AATGACTGAT CAAAGGTTCA TGGATTTTGG AAGGGAAAGA CGAATGCGAG GGCAGTGTAC AGGATAATGT GCATGAGATC GCAAGGGTCA TGCTAGTTAG AGCAAAATAT A?ATGACTTA ATTCAAAAAC TACCTACTAT TTCAAATTAA TAGACTTTAT TGGAGTCATG AAGTGTACTG TTTGGTACAC CCCACATTAC TCATGCACTA CACCTAATTT GTCACAGCAT TCAGCTGCCC TTGTTTTGCA GTCTTTGGAG CTGGCGTGCC TGTTGTTGCT GGTTAGTCGG CGCTTGGTCT GTTGTG??GT GACCCTCTGT TTTTTTTTTT TTTTAAAATG GTCGCTGATT ACTAT?CTGT GTATT?CATT TTGTACTCCC TCGTATCCAA TTATATGCTA CACTTTTTTT GCGGACTCCA AAACGTTTTT TTTTT?TGTC CGAGAGATAG AGAGGAAAAG CCCATGTTGT TAGGAGAGAG ?TCGGGAGAA GGAAAAGCCA AATAAAGAAG TAATAACATC TAAATAAGAA AATTCCTTTG ATGGAAAGTG TAGCGACTAA AAAACGAAGG ACAATATGTA GTTTTCATAT GCCTTTACCT TTGCAATCTC CTTTTTTATT GTTTACCCAT ACTGGATTAG GTTGGATTTA TCAACACAAA ATGAGTTGGA CTATATCACT ACATTACTGT GGTCCTGTGG ATACATCAAC AAAAAAAATG AGTTGGACCA TATCAATGTG TTCGCGTGGA TTATGTACAC ATTGGACTGG AGTTGAAGCA AATATAATCT GAAAAGGGCG ATGGGTTAGG TCATGAGGTA TTTAGAATAA GACTTTGATC AAGCCCAAAT CCACCCGCAA AGAATTATAC CCTTTATTTT CAAGGCACCA TGACTGCATA AAATAATCTG AAATGCCACA AAAGATTAAC GTCCAATATG CTCACAGCCA AAAATCAATC CATTATTGTT TGGTAAGAAA AGGTAATAGG CTAGATCAAT TTGCTGCCAA TTGCCAGGCC TGTGGGCCTG TCACCTGTGG GTAATTTAAT ATG?CTCAAA TGGGTCGGCC TGTTAAGTAC ACCAAGATGA ACTTAAAGCT T

At positions marked by (?), A, G, C or T may be present, or the nucleotide is not present. The translation origin is underlined. The bold-printed letters represent the cDNA fraction. In the attached sequence protocol, (?) corresponds to the letter N.

This sequence will be referred to below as No. 1832.1. The original sequence of 5407 nucleotides, as stated in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO: 7), contained sequencing errors, which do not however affect the protein-coding region.

Finally, the present invention includes the sequence according to the Seq.Id.No.3 (also referred to as 18832A1).

Also included is a nucleic acid which is obtainable by screening a DNA library with a DNA sequence such as described above and which codes for a nematode resistance, as demonstrated for clone 1832.

Preferably the nucleic acid derives from a wild species of the section Procumbentes of the genus Beta.

Especially preferably, the nucleic acid, as described above, induces resistance against sedentary nematodes of the genera Meloidogyne, Heterodera and/or Globodera. In particular, the induction of resistance against Heterodera schachtii in plants is preferred. Especially preferably, the resistance is induced against sedentary nematodes in plants of the species Beta vulgaris.

On the incorporation of such a gene into the plants to be modified, as a rule only the property nematode resistance is influenced. No pleiotropic gene effects are to be expected. Thus the productivity of the breeding stock remains unaffected. The transgenic plants that express the aforesaid gene display an incompatibility reaction towards cyst nematodes. As a result they can be used for the breeding of resistant varieties. As this is a natural resistance nucleic acid from wild species of the section Procumbentes of the genus Beta, no acceptance problems as regards genetically modified plants are expected. Nematode-resistant varieties which have the aforesaid gene can lead to an increase in the proportion of host crops in the rotation of crops. In the case of the sugar-beet, this theoretically means that a crop with a high rate of return can be cultivated to an increased extent. Further, the HS1^(pro-1) sequence is active not only in plants of the genus Beta, but is also capable of producing a nematode resistance in plants of other genera, for example in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Whether a located sequence has the potential to impart nematode resistance to a plant can be checked by normal tests, such as are for example explained in still more detail below.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, a vector, especially preferably a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC), which imparts a resistance against sedentary nematodes to plants and contains the nucleic acid as described above, is provided.

The YAC can for example contain the following DNA sequence:

1. (No.1832)

2. (No.1832.1).

A 60% homology with the nucleic acids contained in the YACs suffices for the induction of a resistance in the plants.

Preferred YACs are as follows:

TABLE 1 Cloned sequences of Size in the YAC ends YAC kBp Specificity left right YAC42D12 50 643 − + YAC112G9 60 643 + + YAC120E7 150 643 + + YAC31G11 70 D13 + + YAC80G3  200 YAC31L − + YAC116C5 50 YAC31R − − YAC114H8 120 YAC104L − −

In a preferred embodiment, a resistance against nematodes of the genera Meloidogyne, Heterodera and/or Globodera is induced in plants. Especially preferably, the resistance is targeted against Heterodera schachtii.

Preferably the resistance is induced against sedentary nematodes in plants of the species Beta vulgaris.

Further, the invention is directed to the use of the nucleic acid or the vector, as described above, for the induction of resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants.

Apart from this, the invention is directed to transgenic plants which contain the nucleic acid or the vector as described above.

The gene can be expressed in plants by transformation by standard methods either under the control of a constitutive promoter or under the control of the internal promoter which ties upstream of the translated sequence. As a result of this, an incompatibility reaction with the sedentary nematodes, in particular the cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii is caused.

The upstream-located promoter region of the gene, including ca. 1500 nucleotides, can be used for the root-specific expression of any gene in any plants. Included are promoters which derive from the 5′ non-translated region of the HS1^(pro-1) gene and show the same promoter activity as the HS1^(pro-1) gene promoter.

A preferred promoter is situated within the XbaI fragment between nucleotide positions 1 and 1521 in the sequence 1832.1. Further preferred are promoters which are derived from the said promoter by for example insertions, deletions, substitutions and/or inversions and have the same promoter activity or even show stronger promoter activity. The presence of promoter activity can be identified by the usual procedures, as for example described below by means of the examples.

Derivatives of the aforesaid 1832-promoter that display at least 10% of its promoter strength are regarded as being according to the invention.

Thus for example the 1832 promoter is activated in Arabidopsis thaliana with the result that the sequence 1832 under the control of the said promoter causes resistance against Heterodera schachtii in this host.

In a preferred embodiment, the transgenic plant belongs to the genus Beta or to the genus Brassica. Especially preferably, the transgenic plant belongs to the species Beta vulgarism.

The invention is also directed to cells, seeds or plant parts which contain the nucleic acid or the vector as described above.

Further, the invention is targeted on the protein encoded by the nucleic acid, and also on derivatives thereof with the same resistance-imparting properties.

The proteins according to the invention are obtainable by expression of the nucleic acid according to the invention in a suitable host such as bacteria, yeasts, mammalian and plant cells.

Apart from this, the invention concerns a test kit, which contains a nucleic acid or a vector, as described above, or a protein, as described above. Further, the invention concerns a process for the production of a plant, characterised in that a nucleic acid, as described above, is introduced into a plant cell and a plant is regenerated from the plant cell.

Further, the present invention concerns a process for producing a nematode resistance in plants, which is characterised in that a nucleic acid, as described above, is introduced into a nematode-sensitive plant.

Apart from this, the invention concerns a promoter which also controls the expression of the nucleic acid described above and that is characterised in that it is active root-specifically.

The 5′-flanking region of the gene, a ca. 1.5 kb XbaI fragment, contains typical elements of eukaryotic promoters, such as for example the TATA box. The promoter is apparently root-specific, since after Northern analysis with leaf- and root-RNA, a signal was only found with root-RNA. This is also confirmed by experiments with transgenic potatoes, which had been transformed with a fusion product from the 1832 promoter and the GUS gene. There the roots showed a clear colour reaction, which indicated activity of the 1832 promoter.

Hence the 1521 nucleotide-containing 5′ region of the 1832 gene and derivatives thereof with similar promoter activity can be used for the expression of any genes, especially in root tissues, of different plants. Suitable derivatives are those which display at least 10% of the promoter activity of the 1832.1 sequence. Examples of applications are the expression of genes for resistance against nematodes and also resistance against other root-borne pests, and expression of genes which are involved in sucrose translocation and generally of genes which are involved in sucrose or inulin storage. Derivatives of the promoter according to the invention are sequences which are derived from the promoter of the 1832 gene for example by deletions, insertions, base exchanges, etc., where the promoter properties of the 1832 gene promoter are retained.

Finally, the invention concerns a primer for the PCR, obtainable from the sequence No.1832.1.

Below, the invention is described in detail on the basis of examples, but these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLE 1

Cloning, of the HS1^(pro1) Gene

For the cloning of the HS1^(pro1) gene, closely interlinked markers were identified. A B. pro-cumbens-specific satellite (pRK643) was cloned from one of the fragment-addition lines. A Southern analysis showed that all tested resistant lines carried this satellite, which indicated that it is distributed in the region of the genome of the wild species B. procumbens in which the gene is located. This marker was found helpful in the identification of the translocation line with the smallest segment of the wild beet among a large number of chromosomal mutants. This line was selected for the positional cloning of the gene. The marker pRK643 cosegregated perfectly with the resistance in a segregating F2 population of 241 individuals. Using this satellite marker as probe, 3 clones which included the HS1^(pro-1) gene region were extracted from a YAC library of the line A906001.

EXAMPLE 2

Identification of the Transcribed Sequences of the YACs

In order to identify the transcribed sequences of the YACs, a cDNA library from the roots of A906001 plants infected with nematodes was created and screened with the three YACs, which leads to the isolation of three cDNA clones, namely numbers 1832, 1845 and 1859. The clone 1845 showed a cross-hybridisation with sugar-beet DNA, while the clone 1859 gave multiple band patterns with the DNA of both susceptible and also resistant beets. The further work was concentrated on the cDNA 1832, since:

1. This cDNA yielded a single-copy signal with DNA of the resistant lines, while no signal was visible with DNA from the susceptible sugar-beet, which allows the assumption that this gene is not present in cultivated root tubers. All monosomal addition lines which carried the HS1^(pro-1) gene yielded a signal with this probe.

2. It showed complete cosegregation with the resistance property in the segregating F2 populations.

3. A ca. 1.6 kb transcript was only present in roots of resistant plants, as was shown by Northern analysis. A markedly stronger hybridisation signal compared to non-infected roots was found with RNA from roots which were infected with Heterodera schachtii.

4. The sequence analysis of the aforesaid polypeptide showed motifs which are typical for resistance gene products cloned recently.

Taking these results together, the clone 1832 represented a wild-beet specific gene, which is only expressed in roots and is stimulated after nematode infection.

EXAMPLE 3

Genetic Complementation Analysis

Hairy root cultures were obtained by induction with Agrobacterium rhizogenes and used for the genetic complementation analysis. The hairy root cultures from the sugar-beet were found to be a suitable substrate for root pathogens. The compatibility reaction of the susceptible and also the incompatibility reaction of the resistant roots to cyst nematodes is maintained in hairy root cultures of the sugar-beet. A susceptible sugar-beet line (No.93161p) was transformed with the 1450 base-pair (bp) cDNA 1832 using an A. rhizogenes-mediated gene transfer. The genetic engineering modification of the transformands was confirmed by GUS assay and DNA blot analysis. After inoculation with J2 juveniles, six mutually independently transformed roots were found, which expressed the 1832 gene and showed the same incompatibility reaction as the resistant line A906001, while nematodes regularly developed on the susceptible controls and on the hairy roots which did not contain the gene. Susceptibility could be restored after transformation of a resistant root culture with an antisense construct of the cDNA 1832.

These experimental data confirm that the resistance in hairy roots from the line 93161p depends on the expression of the 1832 gene. The isolated gene is designated HS1^(pro-1) gene since it transfers the nematode resistance to the susceptible sugar-beet line in such a way that it completely matches the resistance in the line A906001.

EXAMPLE 4

Sequencing of the cDNA

The sequencing of the whole cDNA and of the corresponding genomic clone showed an open reading frame of 846 bp with no introns, which encoded an aforesaid gene product of 282 amino acids, which agrees with the data obtained from the RNA blot.

EXAMPLE 5

Structural Analysis of the Amino Acid Sequence

The amino acid sequence of the aforesaid polypeptide can be subdivided into four different subdomains. A putative signal peptide (domain A) can be defined at the N-terminus, which presumably has the task of leading the protein to the cytoplasm membrane. A leucine-rich region (domain C), which is arranged in imperfect, leucine-rich, repeating units, can clearly be discerned at the N-terminus of the HS1^(pro-1) polypeptide. The repeating leucine-rich units (LRR) are part of the protein—protein interaction and were found in previously cloned resistance genes from plants, e.g. the RPS2 gene from A. thaliana. Their function varies from mutational recognition sites in receptor-like molecules which are located extracellularly, to catalytic domains of enzymes which are active in the cytoplasm. Similarly to other LRRs that have been identified in plant resistance genes, the LRRs of the HS1^(pro-1) polypeptide are less conserved than the consensus sequence of the LRR consensus superfamily. The LRRs of the HS1^(pro-1) polypeptide are characterised by a 20 aa consensus motif (SEQ ID NO: 6) (xLxxaxxaxLxxLxxaxxxL; L=leucine or isoleucine, a=aliphatic or aromatic aa, x=any aa). The leucine and aliphatic residues at the positions 2, 5 and 16 are located in the same positions as in the consensus of the LRR superfamily. The highly conserved asparagine at position C is replaced by a leucine/isoleucine. This asparagine is also lacking in the consensus LRR of the RPS2 polypeptide. The hydrophobic domain of 17 aa in the HS1^(pro-1) gene (domain F) indicates a transmembrane segment. The C-terminal domain contains aa with positively charged residues and a putative N-glycosylation site.

The elicitor-receptor model of the plant-pathogen interaction suggests that the products of the resistance gene act as specific receptors for pathogenic triggers in accordance with the gene-for-gene hypothesis. The sequence analysis of HS1^(pro-1) suggests that it is involved in a gene-for-gene resistance as part of a cascade of defence reactions. The aforesaid polypeptide consists of imperfect LRRs, which are located at the N-terminus with an additional signal peptide, a putative transmembrane-extending domain and a positively charged C-terminus, and thus fits into the second group of plant resistance genes.

Similar protein structures between HS1^(pro-1) and the resistance gene Cf-9 from the tomato could be predicted, although no significant sequence homology was established. As the possible mode of the resistance reaction, the extracytoplasmic LRRs may act as receptor-recognising putative triggers. It is known that nematodes produce secretions which can interact with membrane-bound plant receptors. The positively charged C-terminus possibly interacts with the cytoplasmic components for the signal transfer. Alternatively, as a protein which is located in the cytoplasm, it may act as a receptor for triggers that have been injected into the cell via the nematode's oral barb.

Through the cloning of the first plant gene which is involved in nematode resistance, it should be more possible to understand the process of host-specific defence against nematodes. In addition, the isolation of the HS1^(pro-1) gene offers the possibility of transferring a resistance to host species of agricultural importance, in which no allelic form of the gene is present.

EXAMPLE 6

Identification and Characterisation of the HS1^(pro-1) Promoter

A ca. 1.5 kb XbaI fragment, which corresponds to the 5′-flanking region of the gene and the sequence with the number 1832.1, was isolated from a lambda-DASHII library using a PCR fragment from the 5′-region of the HS1^(pro-1) gene. The isolated promoter sequence contains the typical elements of eukaryotic promoters, such as the TATA box with the sequence TACATAAA in position 23 before the transcriptional start site or the 5′-end of the cDNA.

The identified promoter is root-specific, since in Northern blots a signal with the probe from the 5′ region of the 1832 gene is only found in root tissue.

Moreover, constructs containing the promoter according to the invention and a GUS reporter gene show a colour reaction exclusively in the roots of transformed potatoes or tobacco.

Furthermore, the promoter is inducible by nematodes. This is shown by a comparison of the transcriptional activity of sugar-beet roots infected with H. schachtii and non-infected ones. From this, it can be concluded that the promoter according to the invention binds to transcription factors which derive from nematodes or which are formed as a result of the infection.

The said experiments demonstrate the root-specificity of the HS1^(pro-1) promoter.

EXAMPLE 7

Expression of the Sequence 1832 in Arabidopsis

The cDNA 1832 was fused with the GUS intron gene (Vancanneyt et al. (1990) MGG, p.245) and placed under the control of the 35S promoter. Using the vector pAM194 (described below), the construct was introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana by standard procedures by means of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. After three generations of selfing, lines were obtained which display complete resistance against Heterodera schachtii, i.e. no cysts or developed females whatever were observed. The resistance test was performed in a Petri dish with infectious larvae. The GUS activity was also determined.

EXAMPLE 8

Tissue-Specific Regulation of the 1832 Promoter

For the studies, the XbaI restriction fragment (XbaI-sites at positions 1 and 1521 of the 1832.1 sequence) was fused with the GUS intron gene and introduced into the roots of sugar-beets and potatoes by means of the vector pBIN19 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens/Agrobacterium rhizogenes cotransformation. In the sugar-beet, it was observed that in a “hairy root culture” the GUS activity was only detectable in the syncytium. In non-infected roots or in regions in which no nematodes were present, a corresponding GUS activity was not discernible. This shows that the promoter used has a “pathogen-responsive” element or elements, which is or are activated more strongly after nematode attack. Thus, the 1832 promoter enables the tissue-specific expression of any gene in host plants, such as for example the sugar-beet.

EXAMPLE 9

Expression of cDNA 1832 in Brassica

Rape cotyledons were transformed with a construct containing the sequence 1832, as described above in example 7. The cotyledons were cultured on MS nutrient medium, the selection on MS nutrient medium being performed by addition of carbenicillin. Examination of the transformands showed positive results both in the GUS test and also in the PCR analysis.

EXAMPLE 10

Identification of a Variant of Clone 1832.1, Referred to Below as 1832A1

A variant of clone 1832 was identified, which includes an open reading frame, in which the start codon corresponds to the ATG at position 924 in the 1832.1 sequence. The stop codon corresponds to position 2397 in sequence 1832.1. The variant 1832A1 contains further slight differences compared to the sequence 1832. 1, as can be seen from the sequence comparison. Remarkably, after expression in host cells, all the sequences, i.e. 1832.1, 1832 and 1832A1, lead to resistance to nematode attack. Without being attached to one theory, it can be assumed from this that the shorter of the sequences, namely 1832, encodes all elements which impart to the encoded protein the ability to induce resistance against nematodes. FIG. 3 shows schematically the encoding capacity of the 3 clones 1832.1, 1832 and 1832A1 relative to one another. The section 1832 is common to all the clones.

EXAMPLE 11

Preparation of the Expression Vector pAM194

The binary vector prepared, pAM194, combines the properties of a cloning vector and a plant transformation vector (Ti-plasmid). Its suitability as a transformation vector was tested together with Agrobacterium tumefaciens and also in combination with Agrobacterium rhizogenes for cotransformation experiments. The vector is a derivative of PBI121 (Jefferson et al. 1987) (Clontech Laboratories); the backbone for pBI121 is provided by pBIN19 (Bevan et al. 1984).

As is shown in FIG. 4, pAM194 includes the following elements:

apart from the boundary sequences (LB; RB), the fragment contains NPTII as a selection marker;

the left and right boundary sequences (LB; RB);

the NPTII gene from Tn5 for selection in plants;

the GUS gene from E. coli with the ST-LS1 intron sequence (Vancanneyt et al. 1990);

the 35S promoter-terminator cassette with singular restriction cleavage sites for the purposes of cloning.

Preparation:

The plasmid pBI121 was cleaved with HindIII/SstI. The cleaved HindIII/SstI-35S-GUS fragment was replaced by a subcloned 35S-GUS intron fragment. The EcoRI restriction cleavage site was destroyed by cleaving with EcoRI and filling the overlapping ends with “Klenow fragment” from E. coli polymerase I; next a fresh ligation was performed to produce pBIN-GUSTNT. A 35S-promoter-35S-terminator cassette with a single EcoB cloning site from the plasmid pRT104 (Töpfer et al. 1987) was cloned into the HindIII site of pBIN-GUS-INT, leading to pAM194. The literature references cited above are as follows:

Bevan M, 1984: Binary Agrobacterium vectors for plant transformation. Nucleic Acids Research Vol.12, No.22, 8711.

Jefferson R A, Kavanaugh T A, Bevan M W, 1987. EMBO Journal Vol.6, 3901.

Töpfer R, Matzeit V, Gronenborn B, Schell J, Steinbiss H H, 1987: A set of plant expression vectors for transcriptional and translational fusions. Nucleic Acids Research Vol.15, No.14, 5890.

Vancanneyt G, Schmidt R, O'Connor-Sanches A, Willmitzei L, Rocha-Sosa M, 1990:

Construction of an intron-containing marker gene. Molecular General Genetics, 245-250.

The construction of the plasmid is shown schematically in FIG. 4.

EXAMPLE 12

Transformation of Sugar-Beet

For the transformation, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, strain EHA101 (Hood E E et al, 1986, J. Bacteriology 168, pp.1291-1301), which had been transformed with the plasmid LD 10/1832-13 (FIGS. 5a to d) or with the vector LD10, a plasmid which lacked the 1832 cDNA, by the freeze-thaw procedure (Holters et al., 1978), was used.

For the transformation of the sugar-beet, sterile sugar-beet seeds of the type “Elite O-272” were germinated on a medium containing 2.0 g/l sucrose and 4.0 g/l agarose. The embryos were cut off and the cotyledons were carefully removed and used as explants. The Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101 with the plasmid LD10/1832-13, or the control with plasmid LD10 (FIG. 5c) was cultivated on LB medium (Maniatis et al., 1982), to which had been added 50 mg/l kanamycin, 75 mg/l spectinomycin, 150 mg/l streptomycin and 50 mg/l acetosyringon, on a rotary shaker (340 RPM) at 27° C. up to an OD of about 1.0 (at 660 nm). The bacterial suspension was then diluted to OD 0.1 with LB, and used for the inoculation with the explants, which were cocultivated for 2 to 4 days at 22° C.

The selection for transgenic shoots was performed using a modification of the mannose selection system. In this way, transgenic sugar-beet shoots were selected for. After the co-cultivation, the explants were transferred to selection medium consisting of MS-medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962), to which had been added 0.05 mg/l α-naphthylacetic acid, 0.25 mg/ml 6-benzyladenine, 500 mg/l carbenicillin, 20 g/l sucrose and D-mannose, the concentration of D-mannose being increased stepwise during the selection, starting with a concentration of 1.25 g/l for the first two subculture periods, then increasing it to 5.0 g/l for the next 2 subculture periods, and finally increasing the concentration to 10 g/l mannose for the last period. Each subculture period lasted 3 weeks. The mannose-resistant shoots were cultivated further on MS medium to which 0.25 mg/l 6-benzyladenine had been added, and the formation of the roots occurred essentially according to Miedema (1982).

The analysis of the mannose-resistant shoots was then performed as follows. To ensure that the mannose-resistant shoots which survived the selection were of a transgenic nature, all shoots were investigated for PMN activity. The non-transgenic sugar-beet shoots show no PMI (phosphomannose isomerase) activity. Extracts from 2-3 leaf-tips ca 3 mm in size were prepared and subjected to the coupled PMI enzyme assay, modified after Feramisco et al. (1973) and Gill et al. (1986). About 80-90% of the shoots showed significant PMI activity. The remaining 10-20% were discarded.

For the nematode test, the shoots with PMI activity and good root development (4-6 weeks old) were removed from the agar plates, and the roots were carefully washed in tap-water. A hole was made in a 4×2×12 cm sand-column, the sides of which were wrapped in plastic, and the shoots were planted in this. The sand was carefully added around the roots and carefully watered, and the plants in the sand-column were placed under a plastic tent for 10 days at 25° C. From time to time during this period, the tent was removed, in order to harden off the plants. These plants were inoculated with nematodes using a syringe, 200 juvenile (J2) nematodes being introduced into the sand in each case, as close as possible to the individual plants. 3 weeks after the inoculation, the female cysts developed and they were quantitatively estimated using a stereoscopic microscope. The whole root of every single plant was examined. The results obtained are shown in table 1. This table shows the results that were obtained with the non-transgenic susceptible line C1, the transgenic control line CLD10, the non-transgenic susceptible control, which were developed from seeds (C2), and the transgenic plants which contain the construct LD10/1832-13 (T1-T9).

Mean number of Plant Number of plants cysts/plant ID number control C₁ 4 9 lab 535 control C₂ 9 9.3 seed plants control CLD10 2 9.5 T9600130 T₁ 2 14 1458D T₂ 2 9.5 1468A T₃ 2 4 143614J T₄ 4 4.3 14479K T₅ 2 2.5 144710L T₆ 3 5.3 14054D T₇ 4 6.75 142611H T₈ 5 5 14052B T₉ 4 7.5 14053C

9 independent transgenic lines with the construct LD10/1832-13 were analysed in this test. 2 (T₁ and T₂) developed about the same number of cysts as the controls C₁, C₂ and CLD10. 3 of the transgenic plants (T₃, T₄ and T₅) show cyst development about half that of the controls, indicating that the gene is active to a certain degree in these plants. One of the transgenic lines, T₅, shows cyst development that corresponds to the previously reported results (Cai et al., 1997). The T₅ line developed an average of only 2.5 cysts per plant, this being markedly lower than the number of cysts which was observed in the average of about 10 plants for the various controls. This clearly shows that the 1832 gene is active in the roots of a sugar-beet line which is of commercial interest.

The literature sources mentioned above are as follows:

Cai D, Kleine M, Kifle S, Harloff H-J, Sandal N N, Marcker K A, Klein-Lankhorst R M, Salentijn E M J, Lange W, Stiekema W J, Wyss U, Grundler M W and Jung C (1997). Science 275, 832-834.

Feramisco R, Tilley B E, Conn W R, Gracy R W, Noltman E A (1973). Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 55, 636-641.

Gill J F, Deretic V, Chakrabarty A M (1986). J. Bacteriol. 167, 611-615.

Holters et al. (1978). Mol. Gen. Genet. 163, 181-187.

Maruiatis T, Fritsch L F, Sambrook J (1982). Molecular Cloning. A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, USA.

Miedema P (1982). Euphytica 31, 635-643.

Murashige T, Skoog F (1962). Plant Physiol. 15, 473-497.

EXAMPLE 13

Preparation of the Plasmid LD10/1832-13

The preparation of the said plasmid is shown in FIGS. 5a-d. The XbaI fragment from nucleotide positions 1521-2904 from the SEQ ID No.1 was filled to blunt ends with Klenow enzyme. This fragment was then introduced into the BamHI site of the plasmid pPS48, equipped with blunt ends. This new plasmid, named pPS48/BamHI-15, was then cleaved with HindIII. The HindIII fragment from base pair 0-2403 was introduced into the HindIII site of the plasmid pLD10, so yielding plasmid LD10/1832-13.

EXAMPLE 14

Transformation of Brassica napus with the Sequence 1832 for producing Nematode Resistance and Resistance Test

The Ti-plasmid pAM194, containing the gene for the nematode resistance (sequence 1832) was used as the transformation vector. The vector is described in more detail in example 11.

Strain C58C1 ATHV Rif, which is derived from the Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA10, which carries the helper plasmid pEHA101 without kanamycin resistance, was used as the bacterial strain.

The strain AIMT corresponds to the above-named strain C58C1 ATHV Rif, which contains the plasmid pAM194-1832.

The culturing of the bacteria for the transformation was performed for the AMT culture on LB agar with 50 mg/l kanamycin and 100 mg/l rifampicin and was kept in the refrigerator until use. Two days before the intended transformation, 30 ml LB nutrient medium are inoculated with the appropriate bacterial culture. For the bacterial selection, the liquid medium, like the LB agar, contains 50 mg/l kanamycin and 100 mg/l rifampicin. The bacteria were incubated for 24 hours in the dark at 28° C. on a shaker at 190 RPM. On the second day, 30 ml LB medium without antibiotics are inoculated with 20 ml of the aforesaid bacterial culture obtained after 24 hours and incubated for a further 24 hours under the same conditions.

For the culturing of summer rape in vitro (Brassica napus ssp. oleifera cv. summer rape), the seeds are sterilised with NaOCl (3% active chlorine) in sterile conical flasks for 10 minutes, and then rinsed 3× with sterile distilled water. The seeds are then spread on MS-N medium containing B5 microelements and vitamins. 10 seeds are spread in one container containing 50 ml nutrient medium. The seeds are incubated for 4 days at ca. 2000 lux and a day/night rhythm of 16 hrs/8 hrs. The culturing temperature is 25° C.

For the transformation with A. tumefaciens (cotyledon transformation), the cotyledons of four-day old embryos were separated just above the meristem with a scalpel. For this, both cotyledons are grasped with forceps and simultaneously separated with a straight cut. Immediately after the separation, the petioles of the cotyledons are dipped for 10 secs in the undiluted bacterial suspension (overnight culture). Then the cotyledons are put back onto the culture medium. The coculture of 48 hrs is carried out at 25° C. and in dim light. After the completion of the coculture, the cotyledons are put in containers with 50 ml MSM medium which contains 750 mg/l carbenicillin to kill the bacteria, and cultivated for 7 days at 25° C. and 2000 lux with 16 hr days. After 7 days on MSM with 750 mg/l carbenicillin, the cotyl-edons are transplanted to the same nutrient medium, which at the start also contains 20 mg/l kanamycin for the shoot selection. In later passages, the kanamycin concentration was increased to 25 mg/l. Non-transgenic callus is removed regularly. For the further selection or for detection of transgenicity, the separated shoots are planted on B5 medium containing 50 mg/l kanamycin and 400 mg/l betabactyl. The cotransferred GUS gene allows a further identification of transgenic shoots at the earliest possible time. The rooting of the transgenic shoots takes place on B5 nutrient medium without hormones.

For the molecular biological detection of the gene transfer, a GUS test is performed as the histochemical detection of β-glucuronidase activity. The enzyme cleaves indole from a synthetic substrate, so that GUS-positive leaf fragments become blue. The test procedure is as per Jefferson R A (1987): Assaying chimeric genes in plants: The GUS gene fusion system. Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 5, 387-405.

A further molecular biological detection of the gene transfer is the NPTII-ELISA test, in which the formation of the enzyme neomycin-phosphotransferase, which imparts kanamycin resistance to the transgenic plant, is qualitatively and quantitatively determined. The test was performed with the NPTII-ELISA kit (Cat. No. 5307-610101) from the firm CP Instruments Co. Ltd.

In order constantly to have available adequate quantities of larvae for the inoculation in resistance tests with Heterodera schachtii, the nematodes were multiplied on the host plants mustard (“Albatross” variety, Petersen-Saatzucht) and root tubers. The seeds are [sterilised] in 3% Ca(OCl)₂ solution for 10 min and then rinsed 3-4× with sterile distilled water. Next, the seeds dry on sterile filter-paper and are then planted on water-agar containing 8% agar—agar. After 3-4 days on this agar at 25° C. in darkness, the young embryos are transferred to 0.2 concentrated Knoop medium. At this time, the roots should be about 3-4 cm long. Petri dishes of 15 cm diameter, with lugs, in which two embryos are placed opposite one another, are used. After 14 days' growth in the dark at 25° C., the inoculation is performed with 1000 nematode larvae in the L2 stage. After about 4 weeks at 25° C. in the dark, mature cysts have formed, and can now be collected.

When the cysts are harvested, ca. 200 cysts are collected, using spring-steel forceps, in a small sieve, mesh width 50-200 μm, which is standing in a glass funnel filled with zinc chloride solution (3 mM). At the funnel outlet, a silicone hose is fastened, which is clamped with a steel hose-clamp. This apparatus stands in a tall 250 ml beaker, which is covered with aluminium foil.

After 3 days at 25° C. in the incubator, the hatched larvae have collected in the silicone hose before the steel clamp and can be harvested in a sieve of 15 μm mesh width by briefly opening the clamp, the funnel being held with forceps. The larvae are now rinsed 3× with sterile water and then transferred with a Pasteur pipette into a sterile block dish. After a pause of about 3 mins, during which the larvae sink to the bottom, the excess liquid is as far as possible removed by suction, and replaced with 0.5% Gelrite solution, which ensures a homogeneous distribution of the larvae. After careful nixing, the concentration of the larvae is checked using a stereoscopic microscope, the larvae in a 10 μl droplet being counted.

For the in vitro tests, the roots are separated from the shoots of the transgenic starting clone and laid on ½ B5-medium containing 300 mg/l betabactyl and 8 g/l Daishin agar. Each inoculation of a transgenic starting clone is performed with 5 roots. As a susceptible control, oil radish, whose roots were obtained as described above, is used. Per dish, about 100 L2 larvae of Heterodera schachtii are dropped onto the roots, which were obtained as described above. For the inoculation, a Multipette with a 0.5 ml Combitip is used. The dishes sealed with Parafilm are incubated at 25° C. in darkness. The first counting of the cysts formed takes place after 14 days, and the second and last counting after 20 days, when the cysts have already become pale brown and hence are more easily lifted off the white roots.

For the in situ tests, 5 shoots for each transgenic starting clone are first transferred to the greenhouse. For this, the shoots should already have extended somewhat and possess a few roots. They are pricked out in potting soil, in which they remain for 1.5 weeks, so as to develop more root mass. In addition, this gives them the opportunity to acclimatise to the greenhouse conditions. After 1.5 weeks, the plants are pricked out in quartz sand with a grain size of 0.1-0.5 cm, which has previously been moistened with nutrient solution after Steiner. The inoculation is performed in this sand, since the cleaning and counting of the cysts is made very difficult by humus particles and dirt particles. The sand is in tubes which are stood in a box. Since the edge regions of a box give the plants more light and hence better growing conditions, the test plants are surrounded by other plants, so that every test plant has a neighbour. One week after the second pricking-out date, the inoculation is performed with (600) freshly hatched H. schachtii larvae, L2 stage. The assessment is made after ca. 6 weeks, when the cysts have become brown and can easily be rinsed away from the roots. The cysts are separated from the plant roots by rinsing through a kitchen sieve with a powerful water jet, caught in a 100 um sieve and separated from the sand by centrifugation. The mixture of cysts, fine roots and water obtained is filtered and the cysts are then counted under a binocular microscope at 10×magnification.

The transgenicity of the plants was demonstrated by PCR analyses and NPTII-ELISA and GUS tests.

The table shows the results from the in vivo resistance test with the non-transgenic susceptible variety To and the transgenic plants T₇ to T₁₅ containing the gene 1832.

Ident. No. Number of roots Mean cysts/root T₇  10 14.4 T₈  9 19.0 T₈₁ 2 14.5 T₉  7 21.3 T₁₀ 6 18.8 T₁₁ 6 10.2 T₁₂ 5 23.6 T₁₃ 5 18.4 T₁₄ 9 19.2 T₁₅ 3 14.7 T₀  9 19.1

10 independent, transgenic lines containing the gene 1832 were assessed in this test. 6 lines (T₈, T₉, T₁₀, T₁₁, T₁₃ and T₁₄) had a comparable number of cysts to the susceptible line; 3 lines (T₇, T₈, and T₁₅) had a 27% reduction in cysts compared to the control and 1 line (T₁₁) a 47 % reduction in cysts. This shows that the gene is active in the plants and a marked reduction in cyst infestation is achievable in Brassica nagus.

EXAMPLE 15

Potatoes of the Bintje variety were transformed with the plasmid pAM194 containing the insert 1832 under the control of the 35S promoter with A. rhizogenes. 40 independent hairy root cultures were each inoculated with 250 Globodera pallida larvae. After 56 days, the nematode development was investigated. 35 cultures showed normal nematode development with on average 40 mature females/Petri dish. In 5 root cultures, the development of females was disrupted. There only 10 mature females were found in each. This shows that in potatoes the sequence 1832 can improve their resistance against nematode attack.

7 1 5401 DNA Beta vulgaris unsure (2982) n may be A or G or C or T/U, or the nucleotide is not present 1 tctagagctg tcgacgcggc cgcggaatta accctcacta aagggaacga attcggatct 60 tctttcttgg tgcttaattt tttgacacta atccgattct tagcattaag ttgaagcaca 120 ctcttgataa actatgttac tatgtatcat tgtcaatatg ctaagaattt gtcttgacct 180 catcgctatg tataagcatc taatactttc ctaaactagt aaaaacaaat attccatccg 240 tcccataata tgagtcccct ttctatttta ggagtcaaaa ttttaaaatt tttgaccaaa 300 tattcttatt actatatata aaaacatatt catgtgggat cttgttagat tcgtcttaat 360 atgtattttc ataatatcaa ctttttatat ttttttacta atacgaaatt gaagatatac 420 aatgtcttaa agactatgca aaagtaagca gaacctatat tttgggacgg agggagtaat 480 aagtaatatt gattgacgca taatttgtat ataaatattt caaattgata ctactttaaa 540 taatatagtt aatgcttata aataagccta aagactgtga atagcaagat cgttaaaaat 600 aaaatttgaa aatatttgat atggataatg aaattggaaa tggcatgctt agcttctcgg 660 gaatcttata ccgctacatc tataataaaa attcctcata aaattttgcc cattttaaca 720 cacgaaattc gtccttttac gcgagccctt tccacacgtc tttaaaattt aaaaacctcg 780 tctttactct ccccacctat atatatacac gtcccccctt ctctacttcc catctcacat 840 acacataccc aatccacaaa cttccatctt atccaacttt ctctcaccta tctccttctt 900 caattttcaa aactcaaaag aaaatggtag atttcgattg caaaacaaaa atggtacaat 960 caacaccaaa cctcacaaaa aaatctccaa aaatcacaac caaacgcaca atatcaacac 1020 cattaatttc accagtacca gtaatttccg gcgaattatc tccggcgtcg gaatcatcct 1080 gttcagctta cgaatcgtat ctcaaattac cggagctccg tcaactatgg agttcaaaag 1140 aattccccgg ttgggataac gaaccgataa tcaaaccggc tttgcaagca ttagagataa 1200 cattccggtt catctcactc gttttatccg acgctagacc gtacataaac cggcgagaat 1260 ggaaccggaa attagagtcg ttagcgagag atcaagtccg aaactcatct cagttctctg 1320 cggaagacga tgagacacgt ggatcagctc cgaatcgttg atctgacgtc atcgtatggt 1380 gaggtgatgt cacaaacaga agttcagcgg aggtatggaa gcttgcgaat ggagaacatg 1440 atactaccgt ggtctgtcgt agtagcgaat ttagtctcct tccgaggtta gccacgtggc 1500 agaagtcgga ggagattgct tctagaatct tctacgcggt tgaatctgct atgagaaggt 1560 gtgggtatag tttgggcctt ggtgagccca atttggacgg aaagcccaat ttagattacg 1620 acgccgtttg tcgtccttct gagcttcacg cgcttaaaaa gggcgcgttg gattatattc 1680 agaattcgga aaatcagata ttgtttacaa ttcatcagat tttcgagtcg tggatttttt 1740 cctcgaaaaa attgttggat cgaataagtg agaggatcag taaagaagag tttaccaaag 1800 cagcagatga ttgttggata ctggagaaaa tatggaagtt attggaggaa atcgagaatt 1860 tacatttatt aatggatcct gacgatttcc tgcatctgaa gacgcaactg aggatgaaaa 1920 cagtggcgga ttctgaaact ttttgttttc gatcaaaagg actgatcgag gtaacaaaat 1980 taagcaagga tctacggcac aaggtgccga agatccttgg tgtagaggtg gaccctatgg 2040 gaggaccggt gatacaagag tcggcaatgg agttgtaccg agaaaaaaga agatacgaga 2100 agatacatct gttacaagcg tttcaagggg tggaatccgc tgttaaaggg tttttcttta 2160 attataaaca gttgttggtg atcatgatgg gtagtttgga agcgaaagcg aattttgctg 2220 tgattggtgg ttctactgag tcttcggatt tgttggctca gttgttttta gaacctactt 2280 attatccgag tttggatggt gccaagactt ttattggtga ttgttgggag catgatcagg 2340 ctgttggtag cggcctcgat tgtcgtcatc atcggaagaa tcggactgcg aaacaatgat 2400 ggtttcgaag ttagttttgg attgagtttg gtttgatctg actcggctga gtaatgggcg 2460 gcgataggga ggttatggag aacgtggggc ggaaagtggg tggccttgtt agtgagacgt 2520 gcaaactttg gttactatta catgtgatat acttatattt agtgggaata ttgctttggt 2580 gtatatagat aaatttttga attaattgtt acacttgtat tagtaaattc tgtatcatga 2640 tgattataac atgaattttt tgttgtgact ttaaatgaga tttatgctcc ttaatcctta 2700 tttcactgat attatttttt tgtagtctga gtataagtgc ggagtttaat caagcaagag 2760 aaaataatag aaggtgattg catacttgga ttggagatca atatctaaaa gatggttatg 2820 aaactattgt gaataacgga gtacatgtcc aacaccacac acgtatgact gtgtacctct 2880 aatttacaaa gagatttaca aaatctagat gagttttgat atgatcgaca ttgtctctaa 2940 atgggagata agaattaaat cgtgaggctc tttgcggcta gntcttccga ataaaataag 3000 aaacaatggt ttactctaat tcanttttcc aattggcaaa gtggcacaag cttcaataan 3060 tnggctcttc acaattgagt ataaaagaat gggttaatta cnccggnctt tgaataaaat 3120 taatcctatt taattgtttt tgaaatattc ttaaaaatan cgttgtctaa tactttcttt 3180 agttgggacc cggttctgaa ccnacttaaa ttaatgggct caatggccgc ctaatttcct 3240 cttgttattt ttagcctttt ttttcctttt tttcccttta aaataactat ttgttctctt 3300 gaatatctta aaatacgtgt ctatcnnctt tagttggacc gtctgaacta ttattatgct 3360 atgcactatt cctttgtatt tacctttttc tttttccttt aaatactatt gttctcattt 3420 caattatatt ctatttttgt taaaaaacgg tcttaatttt tacaacagta aaattattga 3480 ttttccttct atattaaaat ttgaaagtga atgtatttcg aaatttaggt atatgaatat 3540 ttatattgtt cgattaatga tgataaaagg attttactca ttaacctaaa ccatttctag 3600 ataagataag aggaacttcc acctagttaa catgtctcac tttcctagta gacgaatcta 3660 aattgcgttg ctggatttag aactttggtc aagataatgg caaaactttc aagcacccgt 3720 agatgcattt tccncgacat ttctcataca gcactaaacg tttcaacttc ctcttttatt 3780 ttcttgaaat tttttgtggc aatgagaaac gttcgaagtt gatctttgcg tttcgacgat 3840 ttgaaataag aaaatgcgta ttgtcggcaa ctgattgtag tagttgcngt tattataatg 3900 atagtctttt atatagaatt catttaattc taattcattt gaatccagtt aagttgagtt 3960 tagtttagtc agcctaaaag aacaaagtaa gtcatggaat ggaatgaaga tgtaatcaaa 4020 tagaggaggg gctgataaca ataattatta cttatgttgc gtgttcaatt cagtaatgaa 4080 aaaaataagg ttgaattagg agggtaatac aattattacc ggtgatgtga taaaactaat 4140 gtttaagggt ttaagttact ctaaaccctc aattaaacat agtctaacaa aaaattctca 4200 taatctaaat caaacacgta cttatacaat cctctacatg aatccgtttc taactctaaa 4260 ggaagatcga tacttattag aatccgtttc caaccctaaa aatgactgat caaaggttca 4320 tggattttgg aagggaaaga cgaatgcgag ggcagtgtac aggataatgt gcatgagatg 4380 gcaagggtca tgctagttag agcaaaatat anatgactta attcaaaaac tacctactat 4440 ttcaaattaa tagactttat tggagtcatg aagtgtactg tttggtacac cccacattac 4500 tcatgcacta cacctaattt gtcacagcat tcagctgccc ttgttttgca gtctttggag 4560 ctggcgtgcc tcttgttgct ggttagtcgg cgcttggtct gttgtgnngt gaccctctgt 4620 tttttttttt ttttaaaatg gtcgctgatt actatnctgt gtattncatt ttgtactccc 4680 tcgtatccaa ttatatgcta cacttttttt gcggactcca aaacgttttt tttttntgtc 4740 cgagagatag agaggaaaag cccatgttgt taggagagag ntcgggagaa ggaaaagcca 4800 aataaagaag taataacatc taaataagaa aattcctttg atggaaagtg tagcgactaa 4860 aaaacgaagg acaatatgta gttttcatat gcctttacct ttgcaatctc cttttttatt 4920 gtttacccat actggattag gttggattta tcaacacaaa atgagttgga ctatatcact 4980 acattactgt ggtcctgtgg atacatcaac aaaaaaaatg agttggacca tatcaatgtg 5040 ttagcgtgga ttatgtacac attggactgg agttgaagca aatataatct gaaaagggcg 5100 atgggttagg tcatgaggta tttagaataa gactttgatc aagcccaaat ccacccgcaa 5160 agaattatac cctttatttt caaggcacca tcactgcata aaataatctg aaatgccaca 5220 aaagattaac gtccaatatg ctcacagcca aaaatcaatc cattattgtt tggtaagaaa 5280 aggtaatagg ctagatcaat ttgctgccaa ttgccaggcc tgtgggcctg tcacctgtgg 5340 gtaatttaat atgnctcaaa tgggtcggcc tgttaagtac accaacatga acttaaagct 5400 t 5401 2 849 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence nucleic acid that induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants 2 atgagaaggt gtgggtatag tttgggcctt ggtgagccca atttggacgg aaagcccaat 60 ttagattacg acgccgtttg tcgtccttct gagcttcacg cgcttaaaaa gggcgcgttg 120 gattatattc agaattcgga aaatcagata ttgtttacaa ttcatcagat tttcgagtcg 180 tggatttttt cctcgaaaaa attgttggat cgaataagtg agaggatcag taaagaagag 240 tttaccaaag cagcagatga ttgttggata ctggagaaaa tatggaagtt attggaggaa 300 atcgagaatt tacatttatt aatggatcct gacgatttcc tgcatctgaa gacgcaactg 360 aggatgaaaa cagtggcgga ttctgaaact ttttgttttc gatcaaaagg actgatcgag 420 gtaacaaaat taagcaagga tctacggcac aaggtgccga agatccttgg tgtagaggtg 480 gaccctatgg gaggaccggt gatacaagag tcggcaatgg agttgtaccg agaaaaaaga 540 agatacgaga agatacatct gttacaagcg tttcaagggg tggaatccgc tgttaaaggg 600 tttttcttta attataaaca gttgttggtg atcatgatgg gtagtttgga agcgaaagcg 660 aattttgctg tgattggtgg ttctactgag tcttcggatt tgttggctca gttgttttta 720 gaacctactt attatccgag tttggatggt gccaagactt ttattggtga ttgttgggag 780 catgatcagg ctgttggtag cggcctcgat tgtcgtcatc atcggaagaa tcggactgcg 840 aaacaatga 849 3 1774 DNA Beta vulgaris 3 ccacaaactt ccatcttatc caactttctc tcacctatct ccttcttcaa ttttcaaaac 60 tcaaaagaaa atggtagatt tcgattgcaa aacaaaaatg gtacaatcaa caccaaacct 120 cacaaaaaaa tctccaaaaa tcacaaccaa acgcacaata tcaacaccat taatttcacc 180 agtaccagta atttccggcg aattatctcc ggcgtctgaa tcatcctgtt cagcttacga 240 atcgtatctc aaattaccgg agctccgtca actatggagt tcaaaagaat tccccggttg 300 ggataacgaa ccgataatca aaccggcttt gcaagcatta gagataacat tccggttcat 360 ctcactcgtt ttatccgacg ctagaccgta cataaaccgg cgagaatgga accggaaatt 420 agagtcgtta gcgagagatc aagtcgaact catctcagtt ctctgcgaag acgatgagac 480 acgtggatca gctccgatcg ttgatctgac gtcatcgtat ggtgaggtga tgtcacaaac 540 aggaagttca gcggaggtat ggaagcttgc gaatggagaa catgatacta ccgtggtctg 600 tcgtagtagc gaatttagtc tccttccgag gttagccacg tggcagaagt cggaggagat 660 tgcttctaga atcttctacg cggttgaatc tgctatgaga aggtgtgggt atagtttggg 720 ccttggtgag cccaatttgg acggaaagcc caatttagat tacgacgccg tttgtcgtcc 780 ttctgagctt cacgcgctta aaaagggcgc gttggattat attcagaatt cggaaaatca 840 gatattgttt acaattcatc agattttcga gtcgtggatt ttttcctcga aaaaattgtt 900 ggatcgaata agtgagagga tcagtaaaga agagtttacc aaagcagcag atgattgttg 960 gatactggag aaaatatgga agttattgga ggaaatcgag aatttacatt tattaatgga 1020 tcctgacgat ttcctgcatc tgaagacgca actgaggatg aaaacagtgg cggattctga 1080 aactttttgt tttcgatcaa aaggactgat cgaggtaaca aaattaagca aggatctacg 1140 gcacaaggtg ccgaagatcc ttggtgtaga ggtggaccct atgggaggac cggtgataca 1200 agagtcggca atggagttgt accgagaaaa aagaagatac gagaagatac atctgttaca 1260 agcgtttcaa ggggtggaat ccgctgttaa agggtttttc tttaattata aacagttgtt 1320 ggtgatcatg atgggtagtt tggaagcgaa agcgaatttt gctgtgattg gtggttctac 1380 tgagtcttcg gatttgttgg ctcagttgtt tttagaacct acttattatc cgagtttgga 1440 tggtgccaag acttttattg gtgattgttg ggagcatgat caggctgttg gtagcggcct 1500 cgattgtcgt catcatcgga agaatcggac tgcgaaacaa tgatggtttc gaagttagtt 1560 ttggattgag tttggtttga tctgactcgg ctgagtaatg ggcggcgata gggaggttat 1620 ggagaacgtg gggcggaaag tgggtggcct tgttagtgag acgtgcaaac tttggttact 1680 attacatgtg atatacttat atttagtggg aatattgctt tgtgtatata gataaatttt 1740 tgaattaatt gttacacttg tattagtaaa ttct 1774 4 1705 DNA Beta vulgaris 4 acaaaccaca aaattacatc ttatccaatt ttctctctcc tactatttat ctctcttcat 60 cttcaaattc aaaactcaaa atttccaaaa aacatatcag aaattcaaaa aaatggttga 120 tttcgattgc aaaacaaaaa tggttcaatc aacaccaaat ctcacaaaaa aaaaccccaa 180 aacgcatcac ttcaacgccg gtaatttcac cggtaccggt aatcgccggt gaattatcac 240 cggcatcgga atcttcatgt ttagcatacg aatcatatct ccggttaccg gagctccgag 300 aattatggag ttcaaaagaa tttccagggt ggaaaaacga gtcaataatt aaaccggctt 360 tacaagcttt agaaataact ttccggttta tttcaattat tttatccgac gctagaccgt 420 acgtgaaccg gcgtgaatgg aatcgtcgat tggagtcgtt aactcgagat caagtcgagt 480 taatctcgat attatgtgaa gatgatgaaa catctggttc tgctcccata atggatctga 540 catcatcttt cggtgaagtg atgtcacaaa ctggaagttt tacaacagaa gtatggaaac 600 atgaaactac ttcggtagta tgtcgtagta gtgaatttag tctacttcct agacttgcca 660 cgtggcataa atcagatgag atttcttcta gaatattcta cgcggttgag agcgcgatga 720 agaggtgtcc atatagtttg ggcttaggtg agcccaattt agatggaaag cccaatttgg 780 attacgacgt cgtttgtcgt cctactgaaa tccacgcgct taaaaaaggc gcgttggatt 840 atattcaaaa tccggaaaac cagattttat tcacaattca tcagattttc gagtcgtggg 900 ttttttgcgc gaaacaattg ttgattcgtg taggagagag aatcaacaaa gaagaattca 960 acaaagttgc agatgattgt tgggttttaa caagaatctg gaacattcta gaagaaatcg 1020 agaatttaca tttattaatg gatccagatg attttctaca tttgaaaact caattacgga 1080 tgaaaacgac gtcggattct gaaacatttt gtttcagatc aagaggttta attgaaatta 1140 caaaattaag taaagattta cgtcacaaag ttccagaaat tctagccgtt gaagtggacc 1200 ccatgggtgg accagtaata caagaatcag caatggagtt atatagagag aagagaaagt 1260 tcgagaagat tcatgttttg caagcatttc aaggtgttga atctgctgtg aaaggttttt 1320 tttataatta taaacaattg ttggtgatta tgatgggaag tttagaagct aaggctaatt 1380 ttgctgtaat tggtggtggt tctgaatcgt ctgatttatt ggctcagatc tttctagaac 1440 ctacttatta tcctagctta gatggtgcca agacttttat tggtgatttt tgggatcatg 1500 atcagacggt tgtgagtggg tgtgatagga aaaatcgggt tgcgaaaaat tgatcattga 1560 taaaagggcg aaagtatact tggccgtcct ccttaaccaa gtctggtttc gctcctgggt 1620 gatggtggtg gtgtcgttgg tgagacgtgg gttactttga ttacttgtta caatgtgatg 1680 atatatttag tggaatacta ttgct 1705 5 1490 DNA Arabidopsis thaliana 5 acaaacacaa acacacacac caaaaaaaac acagacctta aaaaaataaa aatggttgat 60 atggattgga agaggaagat ggtatcatca gatttaccaa actcacctaa gctttcttca 120 aagcttcacg taactattcc atcaccgttc aaaatcgtcc ctgtttcatc tccgatctca 180 tgttcagcac ctgctctttg ctctgcttac gagctttacc ttcgtctccc tgagctaaga 240 aagctctggt catctcgtga ttttcctcaa tggacatcag agccgattct caaaccagct 300 cttcaagctt tggagatcag tttcagatta gttttcgccg tttgttctga tactagaccg 360 tacatcaacc accgtgaatg gaaccggagg ctagattctc tcatcacgaa gcagatccag 420 cttgtagcag cgatctgcga agatgaagaa gaagaaggta tatcagcgga ggctccggtc 480 ggcggtggac ggagttcgtt gagtttgtta ccgcagctag ctacgtggag gagatcagag 540 gctttgggga agaagatctt atatacgatc gataacgaga tgagtcggtg taagtacacg 600 ctcggactcg gtgaacaaaa catcgccgga aaaccaaatc tccggtacga tgcgatttgc 660 cgaccaaacg agatctatag cctcaaggat aatccatacg cagatcatat cgataatcac 720 gagaatcaaa ctctctatat cattcaccag atcctcgaat cgtggatcta cgcatctgga 780 aatcttctga atcgaatcgt ctcaagtatc gaagaagaga aattcggaaa agcttcaaac 840 gatgtttact tgctggagaa gatctggaaa attttagcgg agattgaaga tcttcatatg 900 ttgatggatc cggaagattt tttgaaattg aagaaacagt tacagatcaa atcgacgggt 960 aaaaacgatg cgttttgttt cagatctaaa ggattagtgg agatgatgaa gatgtcgaaa 1020 gatctgagac agaaagtacc ggcggtcttg gcggttgagg tagatccaac cggaggacca 1080 agattacaag aggcggcgat gaagctttac gcgaggaaga cagagtgcga taagattcat 1140 ttgcttcagg ggatgcaagc ggtggaagcg gcggcgaaga gtttcttctt tgggtatagg 1200 cagttagtgg cggctatgat gggaagtgcg gagatgaacg cgacggcgag tcaagagtcg 1260 tgtgactcac tgagtcagat atttatggag ccgacgtatt tcccgagcct tgacgcggca 1320 aagacgtttc tgggagagtt ttggagtcat ttgggatgat taaattttaa tttctgctgg 1380 tataattatt taatataaat ttaaattggt ggtttggttt aatttagttt gtaagatagt 1440 gaaatttttg gaacatttga cgatccatat ttgaatacaa attcattttt 1490 6 20 PRT Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence consensus motif 6 Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa 1 5 10 15 Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa 20 7 5407 DNA Beta vulgaris unsure (880) n may be A or G or C or T/U, or the nucleotide is not present 7 tctagagctg tcgacgccgg ccggccaatt aaccctcact aaagggaacg aattcggatc 60 ttctttcttg gtgcttattt ttgacactaa tccgattctt agcattaagt ttgaagcaca 120 cctcttgata aactacgtta ctatgtatca tgtcaatatg ctaagaattt gtcttgacct 180 catcgctatg tatagcatct atactctaaa cctagtaaaa caaatatccc atccgtccca 240 taatatgagt cccctttcta ttttaggagt caaaatttta aaatttttga ccaaatattc 300 ttattactat atataaaaca tattcatgtg ggatcttgtt agattcgtct taatatgtat 360 ttcataatac taacttttta atattttttt tactaatacg aaattgaaga tatacaatgt 420 cttaaatact atgcaaaagt aacagaacct atatttttgg gtcggaggga gtaataacgt 480 aaccattgat tgacgcataa tttgtatata aatattttca aattgaatca tcttaaataa 540 tatagttaat gcttataaat aagcctaaag actgtgaata gcaagatcgt taaaaataaa 600 ttgaagaaaa tatttgatat ggataatgaa attggaaatg gcatgcttag cttctcggga 660 atcttatacc gctacatcta taataaaaat tcctcataaa attttgccca ttttaacaca 720 cgaaattcgt ccttttacgc gagccctttc cacacgtctt taaaatttaa aaacctcgtc 780 tttactctcc ccacctatat atatacacgt ccccccttct ctacttccca tctcacatac 840 acatacccaa tccacaaact tccatcttat ccaactttcn ctcacctatc cccttcttca 900 attttccaaa actcaaaaca aaatcaaaga aatggtagat tccaaaacaa acaaaatggt 960 acaatcaaca ccaaacctca caaaaaaatc tccaaaaatc acaaccaaac gcacaattat 1020 caacaccatt aatttcccca gtaccagtaa tttccggcga attatctccg gcgtcggaat 1080 catcctgttc agcttacgaa tcgtatctca aattaccgga gctccgtcaa ctatggagtt 1140 caaaagaatt ccccggttgg gataacgaac cgataatcaa accggctttg caagcattag 1200 agataacatt ccggttcatc tcactcgttt tatccgacgc tagaccgtac ataaaccggc 1260 gagaatggaa ccggaaatta gagtcgttag cgagagatca agtccgaaac tcatctcagt 1320 tctctgcgga agacgatgag acacgtggat cagctccgaa tcgttgatct gacgtcatcg 1380 tatggtgagg tgatgtcaca aacagaagtt cagcggaggt atggaagctt gcgaatggag 1440 aacatgatac taccgtggtc tgtcgtagta gcgaatttag tctccttccg aggttagcca 1500 cgtggcagaa gtcggaggag attgcttcta gaatcttcta cgcggttgaa tctgctatga 1560 gaaggtgtgg gtatagtttg ggccttggtg agcccaattt ggacggaaag cccaatttag 1620 attacgacgc cgtttgtcgt ccttctgagc ttcacgcgct taaaaagggc gcgttggatt 1680 atattcagaa ttcggaaaat cagatattgt ttacaattca tcagattttc gagtcgtgga 1740 ttttttcctc gaaaaaattg ttggatcgaa taagtgagag gatcagtaaa gaagagttta 1800 ccaaagcagc agatgattgt tggatactgg agaaaatatg gaagttattg gaggaaatcg 1860 agaatttaca tttattaatg gatcctgacg atttcctgca tctgaagacg caactgagga 1920 tgaaaacagt ggcggattct gaaacttttt gttttcgatc aaaaggactg atcgaggtaa 1980 caaaattaag caaggatcta cggcacaagg tgccgaagat ccttggtgta gaggtggacc 2040 ctatgggagg accggtgata caagagtcgg caatggagtt gtaccgagaa aaaagaagat 2100 acgagaagat acatctgtta caagcgtttc aaggggtgga atccgctgtt aaagggtttt 2160 tctttaatta taaacagttg ttggtgatca tgatgggtag tttggaagcg aaagcgaatt 2220 ttgctgtgat tggtggttct actgagtctt cggatttgtt ggctcagttg tttttagaac 2280 ctacttatta tccgagtttg gatggtgcca agacttttat tggtgattgt tgggagcatg 2340 atcaggctgt tggtagcggc ctcgattgtc gtcatcatcg gaagaatcgg actgcgaaac 2400 aatgatggtt tcgaagttag ttttggattg agtttggttt gatctgactc ggctgagtaa 2460 tgggcggcga tagggaggtt atggagaacg tggggcggaa agtgggtggc cttgttagtg 2520 agacgtgcaa actttggtta ctattacatg tgatatactt atatttagtg ggaatattgc 2580 tttggtgtat atagataaat ttttgaatta attgttacac ttgtattagt aaattctgta 2640 tcatgatgat tataacatga attttttgtt gtgactttaa atgagattta tgctccttaa 2700 tccttatttc actgatatta tttttttgta gtctgagtat aagtgcggag tttaatcaag 2760 caagagaaaa taatagaagg tgattgcata cttggattgg agatcaatat ctaaaagatg 2820 gttatgaaac tattgtgaat aacggagtac atgtccaaca ccacacacgt atgactgtgt 2880 acctctaatt tacaaagaga tttacaaaat ctagatgagt tttgatatga tcgacattgt 2940 ctctaaatgg gagataagaa ttaaatcgtg aggctctttg cggctagntc ttccgaataa 3000 aataagaaac aatggtttac tctaattcan ttttccaatt ggcaaagtgg cacaagcttc 3060 aataantngg ctcttcacaa ttgagtataa aagaatgggt taattacncc ggnctttgaa 3120 taaaattaat cctatttaat tgtttttgaa atattcttaa aaatancgtt gtctaatact 3180 ttctttagtt gggacccggt tctgaaccna cttaaattaa tgggctcaat ggccgcctaa 3240 tttcctcttg ttatttttag cctttttttt cctttttttc cctttaaaat aactatttgt 3300 tctcttgaat atcttaaaat acgtgtctat cnnctttagt tggaccgtct gaactattat 3360 tatgctatgc actattcctt tgtatttacc tttttctttt tcctttaaat actattgttc 3420 tcatttcaat tatattctat ttttgttaaa aaacggtctt aatttttaca acagtaaaat 3480 tattgatttt ccttctatat taaaatttga aagtgaatgt atttcgaaat ttaggtatat 3540 gaatatttat attgttcgat taatgatgat aaaaggattt tactcattaa cctaaaccat 3600 ttctagataa gataagagga acttccacct agttaacatg tctcactttc ctagtagacg 3660 aatctaaatt gcgttgctgg atttagaact ttggtcaaga taatggcaaa actttcaagc 3720 acccgtagat gcattttccn cgacatttct catacagcac taaacgtttc aacttcctct 3780 tttattttct tgaaattttt tgtggcaatg agaaacgttc gaagttgatc tttgcgtttc 3840 gacgatttga aataagaaaa tgcgtattgt cggcaactga ttgtagtagt tgcngttatt 3900 ataatgatag tcttttatat agaattcatt taattctaat tcatttgaat ccagttaagt 3960 tgagtttagt ttagtcagcc taaaagaaca aagtaagtca tggaatggaa tgaagatgta 4020 atcaaataga ggaggggctg ataacaataa ttattactta tgttgcgtgt tcaattcagt 4080 aatgaaaaaa ataaggttga attaggaggg taatacaatt attaccggtg atgtgataaa 4140 actaatgttt aagggtttaa gttactctaa accctcaatt aaacatagtc taacaaaaaa 4200 ttctcataat ctaaatcaaa cacgtactta tacaatcctc tacatgaatc cgtttctaac 4260 tctaaaggaa gatcgatact tattagaatc cgtttccaac cctaaaaatg actgatcaaa 4320 ggttcatgga ttttggaagg gaaagacgaa tgcgagggca gtgtacagga taatgtgcat 4380 gagatggcaa gggtcatgct agttagagca aaatatanat gacttaattc aaaaactacc 4440 tactatttca aattaataga ctttattgga gtcatgaagt gtactgtttg gtacacccca 4500 cattactcat gcactacacc taatttgtca cagcattcag ctgcccttgt tttgcagtct 4560 ttggagctgg cgtgcctctt gttgctggtt agtcggcgct tggtctgttg tgnngtgacc 4620 ctctgttttt tttttttttt aaaatggtcg ctgattacta tnctgtgtat tncattttgt 4680 actccctcgt atccaattat atgctacact ttttttgcgg actccaaaac gttttttttt 4740 tntgtccgag agatagagag gaaaagccca tgttgttagg agagagntcg ggagaaggaa 4800 aagccaaata aagaagtaat aacatctaaa taagaaaatt cctttgatgg aaagtgtagc 4860 gactaaaaaa cgaaggacaa tatgtagttt tcatatgcct ttacctttgc aatctccttt 4920 tttattgttt acccatactg gattaggttg gatttatcaa cacaaaatga gttggactat 4980 atcactacat tactgtggtc ctgtggatac atcaacaaaa aaaatgagtt ggaccatatc 5040 aatgtgttag cgtggattat gtacacattg gactggagtt gaagcaaata taatctgaaa 5100 agggcgatgg gttaggtcat gaggtattta gaataagact ttgatcaagc ccaaatccac 5160 ccgcaaagaa ttataccctt tattttcaag gcaccatcac tgcataaaat aatctgaaat 5220 gccacaaaag attaacgtcc aatatgctca cagccaaaaa tcaatccatt attgtttggt 5280 aagaaaaggt aataggctag atcaatttgc tgccaattgc caggcctgtg ggcctgtcac 5340 ctgtgggtaa tttaatatgn ctcaaatggg tcggcctgtt aagtacacca acatgaactt 5400 aaagctt 5407 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated nucleic acid molecule, wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes a polypeptide that induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants selected from the group of families consisting of Solanaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Brassicaceae, and wherein the nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2 or a nucleic acid molecule having a sequence identity of at least 60% therewith.
 2. The nucleic acid according to claim 1, wherein the plant is selected from the group of genera consisting of Beta, Brassica, and Solanum.
 3. The nucleic acid according to claim 1, wherein the HSI^(pro-1) gene comprises SEQ ID NO:2.
 4. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid is obtainable by screening a DNA library with a DNA molecule comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
 5. The nucleic acid molecule according co claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid is DNA.
 6. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 5, wherein the DNA is cDNA.
 7. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is derived from a wild species of the section Procumbentes of the genus Beta.
 8. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid molecule induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes selected from the group of genera consisting of Meloidogyne, Heterodera, and Globodera.
 9. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid molecule induces a resistance against Heterodera schachtii.
 10. The nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1, wherein the nucleic acid molecule induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants of the species Beta vulgaris.
 11. A vector, comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to claim
 1. 12. The vector according to claim 11, wherein the vector is a YAC vector.
 13. A method for inducing resistance in a plant against sedentary nematodes, comprising growing a transgenic plant comprising the vector of claim 11 under conditions such that said plant produces a polypeptide that induces a resistance against said sedentary nematodes.
 14. A transgenic plant, comprising the vector according to claim
 11. 15. The transgenic plant according to claim 14, wherein the plant is selected from the group of plant genera consisting of Beta and Brassica.
 16. The transgenic plant according to claim 15, wherein the plant is Beta vulgaris.
 17. A transgenic cell, seed or plant part, each comprising the vector according to claim
 11. 18. A method for inducing a resistance in a plant against sedentary nematodes, comprising growing a transgenic plant comprising the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 under conditions such that said plant produces a polypeptide that induces a resistance against said sedentary nematodes.
 19. A transgenic plant, comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to claim
 1. 20. The transgenic plant according to claim 19, wherein the plant is selected from the group of genera consisting of Beta and Brassica.
 21. The transgenic plant according to claim 20, wherein the plant is Beta vulgaris.
 22. A transgenic cell, seed or plant part, each comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to claim
 1. 23. A process for producing a plant, comprising introducing the nucleic acid molecule according to claim 1 into a plant cell, and regenerating a plant from the plant cell.
 24. An isolated nucleic acid that specifically hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to the complement of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein said nucleic acid encodes a protein that induces a resistance against sedentary nematodes in plants selected from the group of families consisting of Solanaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Brassicaceae. 